Together
by howstinsonmetscherbatsky
Summary: No matter how difficult things get, Barney and Robin will overcome their obstacles; together. Set after 8x12, and is AU from then on.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Guys, I'm back after an extremely short break! As promised, this will be my big Robin/Barney fic, entitled 'Together', so stay tuned for updates on this! It continues from the morning after Barney proposed, but I suppose is AU from there on, as I'm keeping away from what happens on the actual show. You'll get it, so I'm shutting up now.**

Barney's eyes flickered open slowly in a drowsy state of fatigue. Just as he was about to close them again, he was reminded of last night's events.

"_Robin Scherbatsky, will you marry me?"  
"Yes."_

A smile formed on Barney's face as he thought about how beautiful his fiancée looked. An even bigger smile crept up on his face as he thought about what they'd done after the proposal. _What up, _he thought to himself. But, all of a sudden, as his hand slid over to Robin's side of the bed, his smile soon faded. She wasn't there. Barney felt like all his nightmares were happening at once, and slammed his head back onto the pillow. _She's gone, _he thought. _I can't believe it. _

"Sandcastles in the saaand..." Barney heard the familiar voice of Robin Sparkles coming from the kitchen. _Robin. She hadn't left. _He leapt out of bed with joy, and _there she was. _Robin was making pancakes in his kitchen, wearing nothing but one of his shirts. "Thought I could fly when you held my hand..." she sang under her breath. Her back was turned from Barney, so he took this opportunity to sneak up on her.  
"Morning, baby." he whispered. She jumped out of her skin, turning around to face him.  
"Barney- oh my god, you're naked!" she exclaimed.  
"Well, now that we're engaged, I'm comfortable displaying my body around you, and seeing as you're only wearing _that," _he gestured at the shirt. "I'd say you are too." Barney leaned in to kiss her, but she blocked him with her spatula.  
"Go put some pants on, or... no more sex!" Wisely, Barney retreated to the bedroom.

He returned two minutes later, far better clothed, and was welcomed by a lingering kiss from Robin.  
"Mm, good morning to you, too." she murmured.  
They sat near the dinner table before Barney piped up.  
"Robin, you didn't have to do this, you know, it's too much."  
"No, you really impressed with that proposal, so now it's time to pay you back..." Robin smiled sweetly at him.  
He took her hand in his. "Hey, you did enough by saying yes, that's all I care about." They shared a loving glance, before tucking into their pancakes, complete, of course, with Canada's finest maple syrup.

-Swarkles-

After keeping it quiet for a few weeks over Christmas, as not to jinx it, Robin and Barney had called the gang to MacLaren's to inform them of the news weeks later. Barney and Robin were getting ready in his apartment, and Robin was anxious to say the least.  
"Do you think they're going to freak out?" she said, putting on her high heels. Barney, who was doing his tie at the time, shrugged it off.  
"You know what? I don't think they will. I know Lily's gonna be thrilled." He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "And if they do, then screw 'em, they're just jealous that we, as a couple, are totally awesome." He kissed her cheek in reassurance, and with that, they left the apartment.

When they arrived MacLaren's, Lily, Marshall and Ted were already seated at the booth. Lily was the first to say anything.  
"So... what's so urgent that you guys need to see us?" Her excitement was evident.  
"Well, Lily, Robin and I have some news. We're-" Before Barney could finish, Robin blurted it out.  
"We're getting married!" she said, and Lily could not contain her screams. Ted and Marshall pulled Barney in for a hug, and there were 'congratulations' all around. Robin shot Barney a look that read _Hm, that was easy, _and the two of the, sat down on the same side of the booth.

As the night went on and everyone got drunk, Robin was hit with a sudden pang of guilt and sadness. She'd realised that there was something Barney didn't know, and this was something that could be a potential deal breaker for him. She excused herself quickly, and rushed to the restroom. Robin didn't know whether it was the drink, but soon the tears started flowing and the emotions were all too much for her. She slammed the cubicle door and sat, her head in her hands, weeping. How could she have thought it would be this easy? Once Barney found out that she couldn't have kids, he'd feel differently about her, Robin was sure. Barney _liked _kids, and maybe even wanted some someday. He was a natural with Marvin, and Robin couldn't bear to keep him from being a father.

Suddenly, she heard the restroom door swing open, and Lily's voice yell "Robin!" loudly. Trying her best to stay silent, Robin sat as still as possible, but even that couldn't stop Lily from interfering. The next thing Robin saw was Lily's face at the bottom of the cubicle door, clearly lying on the floor.  
"Lily, what are you-" Robin began, sniffling.  
"No, Robin, what are you doing in here? What's up? You look really sad." Lily asked, confused.  
"Nothing, I'm just drunk, Lil'."  
"I'm not moving until you tell me, so are you gonna let me in?" Lily always got her way, as was evident when Robin finally gave in, and opened the door. "I'm waiting, Scherbatsky. You just got engaged last night, you should be ecstatic!"  
"I was, I am."  
"So... Spill."  
"I just... I haven't told Barney about the baby thing, and I don't think he's going to want me after he finds out, which sucks, because I really love him, Lil'. I mean, I've never felt this way before, and now I'm going to ruin it."  
"Oh, Robin." Lily hugged her best friend tightly. "Barney won't care about the baby thing... He loves you, baby or no baby."

Before either could notice Barney at the door, listening in, the restroom door slammed shut.  
"What was that?" asked Robin, concerned.  
"I think... I think somebody heard us."  
"Crap. It could have been Barney, I have to go back in there."  
Robin checked her makeup quickly before walking back to the booth, where Barney seemed fine. Little did Robin know that Barney had heard the whole thing, and not only that, had misunderstood the whole situation...

-Swarkles-

Back at the apartment, Robin and Barney were cuddling in bed after a long night of... strenuous activity.  
"I love you, Barney." she stated, resting her head on his chest.  
"I love you, too." he paused before adding "And I love our baby."  
Panic rushed through Robin like a bolt of thunder. _Baby?  
_"Barney-"  
"Robin, it's okay. I know you think this will freak me out, but if I'm getting the opportunity to be a father to anyone's baby, I'm glad it's yours."  
"Wait, you-"  
"Ssh, I get it, you're scared, and babies were never part of the plan for you, or for me either. But, Robin, I love you, and something that's half you and half me, that we made... How could I not love that?" He went to place a hand on her stomach, before Robin jerked away, and began crying.

Over the years, Barney had been able to understand that Robin had only two types of crying: The 'oh-my-god-the-Canucks-won-the-championship-crying', and the 'something-is-seriously-wrong-crying'. Looking at her in that moment, he was certain it was the latter.  
"Robin? Baby, what's wrong?" he said tenderly.  
"I-I'm not pregnant, Barney..." she sobbed.  
"Well, that's okay, there's plenty of time for that, I-"  
"No, Barney... I should've told you this before..." her voice broke. "I can't have kids."

Barney said nothing for a while. The only thing he did was hold her, and that was enough. He rubbed her back and kissed her forehead as she told him the whole story.  
"Robin, look at me... I love you. I love you more than anything; possibly more than my suits. I don't care if you can't have kids, all I want is you. You're worth more to me than anything, and you're all that matters, okay?"  
Robin nodded.  
"And if there's anything troubling either of us, we tell one another, okay? We'll go through everything, no matter how bad; together. Okay?"  
"Okay."  
And with that, Robin snuggled into Barney's chest, and fell slowly asleep. Sure, this wasn't to be their final bump in the road, but they could overcome anything. They were Barney and Robin, and no challenge was too big or scary for them to accept.

**AN: Please review and favorite and follow - I want to know what you think! Tell your friends! **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello! Thank you so much for your response to the first chapter, and as you know, I update faster when I'm motivated, and you guys sure are motivating! I hope you enjoy this chapter; it's extra-long sit back and get ready to squee and possibly asdfghjkl!**

The next few months weren't easy for Barney and Robin. Sometimes, he'd catch her crying in the bathroom because she felt guilty, or she'd wake up in tears after having terrible nightmares. She'd moved into Barney's apartment officially in mid-February, after Barney stated she practically lived there anyway. But, the real reason, apart from him wanting to wake up to her every morning, was because he was worried. Since Robin had told him of her infertility, she'd become much more emotional, as was evident from the frequent crying. He'd never let her go through it alone, as was his promise to her back in January.

It was now May 24th: the day before their wedding. Robin was glowing. She hadn't had a breakdown since early April, and was settled into her life at Barney's. It had taken her some time to adjust, but she was truly happy with him, despite and because of his flaws. Lily had taken the job of 'Chief Wedding Planner', with Ted reluctantly taking the position of her deputy. Although slight hectic and stressful, they'd somehow managed to get everything in order, and Barney and Robin would be getting married in a matter of 24 hours to the watched the clock chime at 12.00, marking exactly a day before his wedding, and looked over to Robin, smiling.

"Are you... nervous at all?" she asked suddenly, playing with her noodles.  
"Well, yeah... But it's the good kind of nerves, I mean; I've been in love with you since 2008. That's five years. I've waited a long time for this day to come." Barney noticed her worried expression. "Why, are you?"  
She paused for a moment before answering. "Well, kinda. I mean, marriage was never part of my big life plan, and I know it wasn't part of yours, either, but it's scary, Barney..."  
Robin was meeting Lily at one to do a last-minute dress fit, because Lily was adamant that things were not going to be as stressful as her wedding day was. Barney reassured Robin for about an hour, before she soon left for Lily's.

-Swarkles-

Over an hour later, Barney had enlisted his best men, Ted and Marshall to help him to write his vows.  
"Do you think I've said the words 'love' and 'inspire' too much, Ted?" asked Barney, throwing another crumpled piece of paper into the trash.  
"Dude, you need to relax, it's really nice, sappy, but not too sappy. It's good." Ted assured him. All of a sudden, the sound of 'Let's Go To The Mall' echoed through the apartment, meaning Barney's phone was ringing.  
"Barney Stinson." he answered.  
"Barney, tell Robin she was meant to meet me at one, where is she?"  
"Huh? She went like an hour ago, isn't she with you?" his panic was clear to see.  
"No, I thought she was-"

Barney hung up and immediately called Robin, only to reach her answer phone. Without so much as a goodbye, he ran out of his apartment in search for his beloved fiancée. The first place he went was the bar. He thought maybe Robin had gone there to down some scotch for courage, but after interrogating Carl, he realised she wasn't there. The next place he went was her old apartment building, thinking maybe she'd been feeling nostalgic and gone there, only to fail in finding her once again. But then, it hit him. He knew where she'd be. After summoning Ranjit to escort him and sneaking past the security desk, he arrived the roof of the World Wide News building, and there she was.

"Robin?" he called out to her. Sitting on the floor, she didn't reply. He walked closer to her. "Robin, what are you doing?"  
When she turned around, he felt the need to hold her close, as she looked like the whole world had just crashed around her.  
"How did you know I'd be here?" she croaked.  
"Because I know you. I knew that if you were feeling scared or unsure, you'd go back to the place that brings you comfort: your favorite spot in the city."  
"I'm so sorry, Barney. After everything I've put you through: choosing Kevin, making you think we were having a baby, acting like a crazy person all the time... You're still here. How can you tolerate all my crazy crap?"  
"Because I love you." he stated.  
"And I love you. I'm sorry about this, I don't know what I was thinking... I want to marry you. I guess I had a small case of cold feet or something. C'mon, let's go." she rose.

"Wait, are you sure you're okay? What was the reason you felt scared, Robin? Is it the, uh..." he lowered his voice. "Baby thing?"  
She blinked slowly. _How does he always know what's on my mind?_, she wondered.  
"I guess it was a combination of realizing that marriage leads to kids usually, and also the realization that kids... aren't that bad. I mean, babysitting Marvin the other day... That was nice. It made me feel like maybe having kids wouldn't be as bad as I'd thought, but... I guess I'll never know." Robin let out a soft sigh.  
"Hey, you know there are _ways _for us if we actually want kids; let's not rule it out. I mean, there's adoption, surrogacy, tons of things. I just didn't know you'd changed your mind..."  
"That's what's so scary, Barney. The fact I'm getting married led me to rethink my ideas about kids, and that _petrifies _me. It frightens me that I could even think that way..."  
"Why is that a bad thing, Robin? If you want kids, you shouldn't be afraid to tell me, because either way, you make me happy, and you can tell me things."  
"I know. But, as of right now, I'm not sure, but when I am, you'll be the first to know. Now, can we get home? I need a lie-down."

And that's just what they did. For the rest of the afternoon, they lay down on the bed. They didn't have sex, or even kiss; they just lay there in each other's arms, thinking about the fact that in less than 24 hours, they'd be Mr and Mrs Stinson.

-Swarkles-

"Lily, do I look okay? Is my makeup still good? Is it smudged?" Robin rambled frantically, staring at her maid of honour in hope. She looked stunning. Her wedding dress wasn't big and flouncy, but still elegant and classy.  
"You look amazing, Robin! I feel like I wanna cry right now, you're that beautiful!" Lily exclaimed. In a few minutes, it would be Robin's time to walk down the aisle, accompanied by her father, who was giving her away, after much persuasion.  
She breathed in and out slowly, not letting the nerves get to her.

Meanwhile, Barney, Ted and Marshall stood at the end of the aisle, a wide smile spread across Barney's face.  
"Hey, Barn, you feeling okay?" whispered Marshall.  
"You know what? I feel pretty damn good."  
All of a sudden, the music began playing, indicating Robin's arrival. Barney couldn't resist looking back to see her, and to say his jaw dropped was an understatement. She smiled sweetly at him as she finished her walk down the aisle, her father leaving her. This was it; this was their moment. The moment they'd been waiting for.

The time soon came for the vows; the part Barney had been most nervous about. Fortunately, Robin was to go first, which would put him at ease.  
"Barney. For years, I'd been hesitant towards settling down and getting married, but you changed that. Somehow, with all your insanity and humor and crudeness, you make me feel like I have a reason to get up in the morning. You make me so happy, and feel so loved, that the idea of not spending the rest of my life with you seems completely ridiculous. I love you with all my heart, Barney Stinson. Thank you for making me realize that love is worth fighting for, and for never giving up on me." She wiped away an unexpected tear, and Barney had to try and avoid eye contact with her in order to keep his emotions in check.

"It took me five years to get you to marry me, Scherbatsky, and we've been through a lot in that time. We dated briefly, we became closer as friends, and I wish I'd have plucked up the courage to propose sooner, because I've loved you since I first laid eyes on you. I just didn't know it at the time. You bring out the best in me, Robin, and I am so grateful to you for that. You're so inspiring; you never give up, and I think that rubbed off on me, because I'm never letting you go without a fight. I love you so much, and whatever happens, I want you to know that you really changed my life for better. Without you, I'd probably still be a serial womanizer afraid of emotion. I can't stress how much I love you, but I hope that I can prove that to you for the rest of our lives."

Barney blinked away tears and only just managed to keep it together.  
"Barney Stinson, do you take Robin Scherbatsky to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  
"Challenge Accepted. I mean, uh, I do." he chuckled.  
"And do you, Robin Scherbatsky, take Barney Stinson to be your lawfully wedded husband?"  
"I do." she smiled.  
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."  
"Finally!" Barney exclaimed before grabbing Robin, and kissing her, dipping her slowly as if they were in a cheesy movie. Robin giggled as they broke free, unable to stop smiling at her _husband._

-Swarkles-

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," Ted announced. "Please welcome, for the very first time, Mr and Mrs Barney Stinson!" Many cheers and wolf whistles welcomed the couple, and both could still not refrain from smiling.  
"Hm, Mrs Robin Stinson, doesn't that sound..." Barney began.  
"Kinda nice? Yeah. You're gonna have to stop calling me Scherbatsky, now, though."  
"Damn it! Well, you'll still be Robin Scherbatsky on World Wide News, so don't lose hope!"

They walked over to their table, where Ted, Marshall and Lily joined them.  
"So, Barney, you're married. How do you feel?" asked Lily.  
"Well, Lily, I'd feel a whole lot better after dancing a little. When's the first dance, chief?" Barney was eager.  
"After the Best Man speech, which is... Right now. Go, Ted, go, we've gotta stay on schedule!" Lily barked her orders.  
Ted rushed over to the mic again, and after hearing Barney and Robin's yell of "Go Schmosby!", he began.

"Hi, I'm Ted Mosby, best man. I've known Barney for over ten years, and Robin for almost eight. Although I've known them for so long, I'd never imagined these two, of all people, would be getting married, let alone to each other. I'm not going to stay up here long, because I know that some of us are dying to see Barney's dance moves, so I'll keep it short and sweet. You know, you can tell when two people are meant for each other. When I look at Robin and Barney, I just think 'Yeah, they're only meant for each other.' I know this because; even after all they've been through, the break-ups, being with other people, all that stuff... They're still completely and utterly in love. So, raise your glasses to Barney and Robin!"

All the guests repeated their names with glee, before Ted added "Oh, and now, if the happy couple would move on over to the dancefloor, it's time for their first dance."  
A wide grin appeared on Barney's face as he took his wife's hand. Robin knew he was up to something, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then, the music began, and she understood.

_Met you at the mall... Didn't know how far I would fall..._

"Are you kidding, Barney, Sandcastles in the Sand? she shook her head.  
"What? It's kind of our song. We first got together whilst watching the video, which I think was very important in my falling in love with you. This song was the catalyst to our love." he swayed with her to the music, still grinning.  
"You just wanted an excuse to bring up Robin Sparkles, didn't you?"  
Barney just smiled. Robin leaned in for a kiss, and the two were blissfully happy in their little bubble for the rest of the song. Robin rested her head on his chest, and breathed out in relief. This felt right. This felt amazing. This felt perfect.

**AN: Thank you so much, and read, review, follow and favorite! **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hi guys! Thank you so much for the response to my last chapter, it means a lot! This chapter will be more upbeat and fluffy, but I can't help shoving a little drama and angst in there sometimes! I hope you like it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

After their blissful wedding night at a fancy hotel, courtesy of Marshall and Lily, Barney and Robin had left for their honeymoon in The Maldives. As it was May, Robin had packed mostly bikinis, and Barney's favorite: sundresses. Their flight left from JFK airport on May 27th, giving both Robin and Barney enough time to pack and recover from the excitement of their wedding day. After spending almost a whole day on the plane, and taking a taxi to their five star hotel, Robin and Barney were thrilled to finally get some proper rest.

Walking into their amazing honeymoon suite, Robin actually gasped.  
"Barney, this is... this is incredible." she was shocked that Barney had organized all this for them both; it was so romantic. "I'm so lucky to have you as my husband." she pecked his lips quickly before jumping onto the bed, letting out a sigh of relief. Barney did a running jump and flopped down next to her, laughing.  
"Well, I think I'm just as lucky, because I have such a beautiful, smart, sexy wife." he winked. "And I know you wanna get on to the most fun part of the honeymoon, but I made us reservations at this little restaurant in about... an hour."  
She smiled at him with delight. "You truly are amazing, Mr Stinson."  
"Not too bad yourself, Mrs Stinson."  
"And, you know, I can slap on a sundress in two minutes, meaning we have... fifty-eight minutes... How about we start our honeymoon in the traditional way?"  
"I love you so much. So clever!" he kissed her passionately.

In what seemed like a split second, Barney and Robin were both naked and passionately rolling around on their king-sized bed. This was the first of many times they'd be making good use of it on their honeymoon, and Robin looked forward to those occasions especially. After Robin and Barney had both finished, moaning practically in unison, they lay down under the sheets, breathing heavily.  
"How is it possible that we our sex gets better the more times we do it? That was..." Barney began.  
"Legendary." Robin breathed. Barney gave her a look as if he was giving his approval. "What up?" said Robin, raising her hand as they high-fived.  
"I don't think I've ever been so proud of you as I am now, Scherbatsky. You're using my catchphrases; it's a dream come true." he kissed her forehead before getting up and out of bed.

"Wait, where are you going?" she asked.  
"Well, Robin, we have five minutes until our dinner reservation, and I need to suit up!" he winked at her, pulling some clean boxers on.  
"It's been an hour since we got here? You have to admit, our stamina is freaking ridiculous." she grinned, and reached into the suitcase near the bed to grab a dress. Barney looked over to his new wife as she combed her hair; she was beautiful, and the best thing was that she was going to be with him for the rest of his life. His happiness about this was made obvious by the grin on his face, which of course, wasn't unnoticed by Robin.  
"What are you smiling about?"  
"Nothing. I'm just really, really glad you chose to marry me."  
"So am I." They looked at each other in a state of blissful awe for a few moments, neither of them believing that they'd been so lucky. They were so grateful for that night back in 2008 when they'd slept together for the first time: the catalyst, the spark that ignited their feelings for each other. What they had thought was a drunken mistake turned into a love that neither could live without.

-Swarkles-

"Barney, this place is incredible!" They sat near a secluded little table in the private section of the restaurant, and Robin couldn't help but plant a passionate kiss on her husband's lips.  
"What was that for?" he asked, but he wasn't complaining.  
"For being the ideal husband. You've got it all; the ability to stand my mood swings, the looks, the humour, organizing such a perfect honeymoon... If I had realized you were this person sooner, I'd have married you back in 2009! I'm sorry it took me so long to catch up."  
"Well, I didn't know I could even _be _this person until you came along and made me fall in love with you, so you get the credit for that one." his gleaming smile only showed about 1% of the love and happiness he felt in that moment.  
"Nope, I think you did that all by yourself."  
Before their discussion could continue, the waitress appeared with their delicious-looking delicacy.

After a dinner in which they could barely keep their hands off each other, Barney suggested a walk on the beach to see the views on offer. Robin was, of course, delighted with her husband's thoughtful idea, and soon, they began their leisurely, late-night stroll on the gorgeous sands of the Maldives. The stars were clear to see as they lit up the night sky, and Barney couldn't help but look up and marvel at the beauty above him. But, then, he was drawn towards something even more beautiful that was walking beside him, holding his hand. _Robin. _The way she tucked a loose strand of her wavy hair behind her ear made his heart thump louder. It was a simple action, but she was so beautiful that everything she did or said became beautiful by association. He thanked his lucky stars that _The Robin _had succeeded, and that Robin loved him back, and actually _wanted _to be with him. He really was lucky.

"I wonder what the gang are doing right now?" Robin said.  
Glancing at his watch, Barney replied, "Well, it's eleven pm here, meaning it's one pm in New York... so, they're probably at the bar."  
Robin chuckled. "You're right. Oh, I was going to ask, what's with the bag?"  
In his free hand, Barney carried a bag, its contents clearly unknown to Robin. "Don't get too excited, I just brought us a blanket so we can lay down right... here." Barney gestured to a spot where the moon was clear in the sky, and the stars twinkled. He placed the red blanket on the sand, gesturing for Robin to sit, but as he reached into the bag again, it was evident that he had something else to show her.  
"Barney, what-"  
Before she could even ask, he took out two airplane cups and the scotch he'd secretly bought in duty-free. "Scotch! I knew I married you for a reason!" Robin joked. Barney poured her a glass before pouring one for himself, and after sipping it a few times, he placed both glasses on the sand.

"Lie down... The view is gorgeous," he whispered, and she obeyed. He lay next to her, turning to face her, smiling. "Hi." he gushed.  
"Hi." she grinned. "So, what did you want me to look at?" she began to look up, but he shook his head.  
"The, uh, gorgeous view is right in front of my eyes... You're remarkable, you know that?" he couldn't contain his love for her.  
"Thank you..." she paused, before exhaling. "I love you, Barney Stinson."  
"I love you too."

They stayed there for a while, looking at the stars, and at each other, ignoring anything that wasn't in their little bubble. They spoke few words after that, because their eyes and expressions were speaking for them. They were completely and utterly in love, there was no doubt about the matter. After five years of confusion, break-ups, affairs and heartbreak, they were glad to have this moment that was totally and completely uncomplicated. After five long years of loving Robin Scherbatsky, Barney felt a rush of emotion as he kissed the woman he'd spend the rest of his life with. _And what a damn amazing life it was going to be._

**AN: Reviews, favorites, follows, etc, all motivate me and help me to continue, so please give me your opinion or any storylines you'd like to see play out in this story! Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hi guys! Thanks so much for the continued support and amazing reactions to this story! I'll most likely be uploading new chapters every weekend, on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. I can't guarantee I'll update on time, so bear with me. Hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

For the first few months or so of their relationship, Barney and Robin didn't spend one night apart. Robin knew she'd be at a loss without Barney's strong, comforting arms wrapped around her as she slept, and Barney wouldn't be able to handle not feeling strands of her long hair brushing against his shoulders at night. Therefore, when Barney had to go away to Chicago on business for a weekend in August, both were reluctant for his departure. Barney's flight was leaving at eleven p.m., and two hours before he was due to fly over, the couple was saying their goodbyes.

"I can tell my boss that I'm sick, if you want... I don't have to go." said Barney as he dragged his suitcase to the door of their apartment.  
"Yes, you do. This could mean a promotion for you, and I'm not jeopardizing that just because I need someone to spoon me." Robin smiled, but the facade was slowly disintegrating; she was going to miss Barney more than she'd like to admit. It wasn't just the cuddling; she would miss how he made coffee for her in the morning, and how he woke her up with soft kisses. She would miss seeing his gorgeous face as soon as she awoke.

"Are you sure?" Barney wasn't asking Robin as much as he was asking himself. It sounded cheesy, but the thought of Robin being alone in the apartment for three nights worried him. Also, being in some cold hotel room all on his own would surely make him long for his wife. Although both were fighting their true feelings, Robin nodded. "I guess this is it... Come here, you." Their kiss was longer than their usual day-to-day goodbye one, and the couple were reluctant to be pulled apart. As he walked out of the door, he glanced behind him, giving her a meaningful look. Then, he was gone.

Robin could cope without him, and she was certain that she'd be okay. Little did either Robin or Barney know that by going to Chicago, he would miss one of the most shockingly terrifying moments of Robin's life.

-Swarkles-

Robin woke up the next morning not remembering how she'd managed to get to bed. But, then, by glancing over at the picture of Barney that was somehow beside the bed, she remembered. The night before, Robin had gone straight to bed, and taken out a picture of Barney to look at before she slept, to comfort her. It sounded mildly psychotic, but she couldn't bear not seeing his face. She groaned, turning over to face the clock on their bedside table. It was ten o'clock already. Barney was supposed to be calling her any moment. As if on cue, Robin's phone began to vibrate.  
"Hello." she croaked.  
"Hey, Robin, it's Lily!" Lily was surprisingly chirpy for this time of the morning.  
"Hey, Lil, what's up?"  
"Can you come over? I need to talk to you; it's urgent."  
"Sure."

And with that, Robin got dressed and hurried over to Lily and Marshall's apartment. Knocking on the door, it suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea why Lily needed to talk. Shrugging to herself, she knocked again, and this time, Lily appeared at the door. Practically dragging Robin in, Lily greeted her best friend.

"Jesus, Lily, what's wrong? It's only ten thirty! I'm pretty sure you don't begin to function on Saturdays before noon!"  
Robin sat next to Lily on the frown as she noticed her expression. Lily's smile was so large that Barney could probably see it from Chicago. _Barney. Oh, how she missed him. _Snapping out of her daydream, she looked at Lily expectantly.  
"Well, you know that art award I was nominated for?" said Lily.  
"The Guggenheim one?"  
"Yeah. Well, I got a phone call this morning... I won! My painting is going to be displayed in one of the most prestigious galleries in the Unites States!" she exclaimed.  
"Oh, my god, Lily, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you!" Robin hugged Lily, almost squeezing the life out of her.  
"Also, there's an awards ceremony next weekend, and I'm allowed to bring guests! Are you and Barney free?"  
"Uh, we should be! I'll call him right now, his conference doesn't start until twelve."

Robin reached into her empty pocket before sighing. She had left her phone in the apartment in her haste. She had also left her wallet, and if she was going to treat Lily to a celebratory brunch, Robin would be paying for it.  
"Damn it, I need to go back to the apartment, I left some stuff there... Meet me at the brunch place in about half an hour?" Lily nodded, and Robin bolted for the door.

-Swarkles-

It seemed like everyone in New York City needed a cab that morning, as Robin pushed through the crowd to find Ranjit. Across the road, she could see their beloved cab driver playing air guitar to whichever song was on the cab radio. Yelling, "Get outta my way!" like a true New Yorker, Robin got to the curb. She could see another man walking towards Ranjit's cab, and was determined to get there before that bastard. Without looking, or thinking, she stepped out onto the busy road.

A few years ago, when Ted had been in that accident, he'd explained that everything he loved had flashed before his eyes, and Barney had confirmed this. Robin had never believed this, but as she breathed in sharply, noticing the car approaching her at a terrifying speed, inches away, she had the same experience.

"_I'm not sure I like her!"_

"_Holy crap, you're beautiful!"_

"_You're the most awesome person I've ever known."_

"_I'm in love with... tacos!"  
_

_"With you, the trouble doesn't seem so troubling."  
_

_"You're an idiot."  
_

_"Ted really did love Zoey for a minute there, didn't he?"  
_

_"Yeah, he did, and she loved him, didn't she?"  
_

_"When I let a day go by without talking to you, that day's just no good."  
_

_"What if it's actually the story of how we got back together?"_

"_I'm pregnant."_

"_Last chance to run away together, door's right there."_

"_622 West 14__th__ Street."  
_

_"Turn it over."  
_

_"Robin Scherbatsky, will you marry me?"_

"_I do."_

And with that, she felt the car hit her body with its full force. Then, she felt _nothing. _

-Swarkles-

"Doctor, what's happening? Is she alive? Is she okay?" Lily's voice echoed in Robin's mind. She could hear her best friend, but wondered where her voice was coming from. Suddenly, she saw a slightly blurry figure in front of her, dressed in white.

"Robin... You're in the hospital. You were in a car accident. Can you hear me?" said the doctor. Robin nodded, wincing. There was a shooting pain running up and down her side.  
"Where's... Where's Barney?" she managed to murmur, and Lily's tear stained face came into view.  
"Oh, honey, he's on his way, but what's important is that you're okay." Lily turned to the doctor. "She is okay, right?"  
"A few broken bones, nothing major. You were lucky, Mrs Stinson. There is something we need to discuss, though. Would you like your friend to leave for a moment?"  
Robin shook her head. "No, I want Lily to stay."

The doctor took a deep breath as if he was about to deliver horrifying news. "Well, your medical records show you haven't had an appointment here since late 2011, which I'm presuming means you're unaware of your, um, condition."  
"I was in here because Dr Sonya told me I couldn't have kids, so, yeah, I'm fully aware of my condition." Robin coughed.  
"Which is exactly why what I'm going to say next is surprising. You weren't aware you were pregnant, were you, Mrs Stinson?"  
And at that exact moment, Barney entered the room.

**AN: Ooh, cliffhanger! I know it may have been predictable, and everyone does a Robin pregnancy storyline, but stick with me, okay? Please review, favorite, follow, etc.! See you next week!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys! Again, thanks so much for the feedback on chapter 4. It's nice to know that so many of you are enjoying my fic! This is Chapter 5, which I hope is full of feels, emotion, fluff and more. Enjoy!**

_Pregnant. Robin was... pregnant. _Barney stood at the door, staring at his wife. Had he heard the doctor correctly? Had he said what he thought the doctor had said? No, it wasn't possible... Robin couldn't have kids... _Could she?_ His heart was beating fast and he was motionless for a moment, before, suddenly, a small smile formed on his face. He snapped out of his thoughts and briskly walked over to Robin.

"I'm sorry... did you say I was... pregnant?" Robin asked the doctor. Then, she noticed Barney beside her. "Barney, he just said..." she was breathless.

"I know, baby, just let him explain... I'm sure you have an explanation, right, doc?" Barney soothed Robin, gently stroking her arm. The doctor looked embarrassed as he looked down at his file.

Lily, on the other hand, had tears in her eyes. She was thrilled. She'd always known Robin would make a great mother; the way she cared for Marvin proved that. The doctor cleared his throat as if he was about to announce something important.

"Well, it seems, Mrs Stinson, that back in 2011, an incorrect analysis was made about your fertility. The so-called problem you had wasn't that you couldn't have kids, but that it would be a little harder for you to have them. It was still possible, though, as has now been proven. We're so sorry for the confusion. I'll leave you alone to talk." The doctor hung his head as he left the room.

"Guys, do you want me to get you some waters or anything? I'll take off... Let Marshall and Ted know you're okay."

"No, thanks, Lil, we're good." said Robin.

There was silence for a second, before Robin turned to Barney. "I love you so much." she said, kissing him softly.  
"I love you, too. Are they sure you're okay? You and..." He couldn't bring himself to say it. If he said it, that meant it was true, and the prospect of being a father was extremely exciting to him.

"Yeah, just a bit of bruising. Barney, you're not freaking out about this... Hell, I'm not freaking out about this. Why am I not freaking out about this?"

"Maybe because you've realised that you're ready to become a mother." he kissed her forehead, before adding, "Okay, I'm sorry, I have to freak out. I'm gonna be a daddy!"  
He hugged Robin, holding her close, before realizing she hadn't said anything. "Wait, Robin, uh, sorry. How do you feel about this?"

There was a pause. "I'm gonna be a mommy!" she exclaimed.

Robin wondered why she was so excited about the pregnancy. The first time around, she'd been devastated to learn she was having a baby, so what was so different this time? Looking to her husband, gleaming beside her, she realised why. It was _him, it was both of them. _They'd changed; matured even, in a year and a half. Last time, she was with someone else, and afraid of the consequences. This time, she was married to her soul mate. They'd always had a problem with timing, but this time, they'd gotten it just right.

-Swarkles-

Lily hadn't informed Ted about Robin's pregnancy. Of course, she'd told Marshall within the first nanosecond she got back to their apartment, but not Ted. She knew Ted was over Robin; he'd met some girl in her wedding, from the band, and had apparently been texting her for weeks. But, she felt like it was Barney and Robin's duty to do so. So, naturally, she was going to call the couple, telling them of their duty, as soon as Robin was back from the hospital a few days later.

Barney opened their apartment door, and yelled, "Daddy's home!" excitedly. Robin rolled her eyes. "What? This time, I actually mean it in the fatherly way; it's not creepy."

"Whatever you say, Daddy." Robin giggled.

"I could have carried that for you. I don't want you to hurt yourself, or Stinson Jr."  
"Please, this bag weighs practically nothing. Oh, and we are not referring to this baby as Stinson Jr." she gave him her sternest look before sitting on the couch.

"Okay, Sparkles Junior?"  
"No."  
"Lil' Barney?"  
"That's what you call your penis. So, no."  
"Ugh, fine, I suppose I'll have to think of better ones." Barney kissed her on the cheek, before running to their bedroom.

"Barn, where are you-" Before she could continue, he reappeared with the most beautiful bunch of flowers she'd ever seen. "Oh, my goodness, Barney, these are amazing..." Robin was completely overwhelmed.

"I know." Robin pulled him into a close embrace, before taking the flowers, gasping at their beauty. Suddenly, the phone began ringing. Robin went to pick it up, but Barney shook his head, refusing.

"Yello?" he said, picking up the phone. "Hey, Lil... Yeah... Oh. I see. Yeah, no problem. I'll meet him there. Yeah. See you, bye." He seemed uneasy, and Robin wondered what on earth was going on.

"Barney, what did she say?" Robin touched his arm.

"Ted doesn't know you're pregnant." he paused. "Lily didn't tell him, and I guess I have to go tell him. I'm meeting him at the bar in a bit."  
"I'm coming with you!" Robin started to get up.  
"No, you really aren't. You rest, and I'll tell you anything when I get back. I've got Star Wars in the DVD player already, because I know you like that when you're under the weather. If there's anything you need, you call me, okay?"

Robin nodded, and after kissing her softly, Barney left for the bar.

-Swarkles-

"So... how's Robin doing?" asked Ted as Barney arrived.

"She's fine. Better than fine, actually. Look, Ted, I have to tell you something-" Barney began.

"Dude, Martha just texted me asking if I wanted to have dinner."

"Martha?" Barney was confused.

"You know, the girl who played bass at your wedding? We hit it off..."  
"Look, Ted, that's great, but-"

"I just know she's the one, you know? It's amazing to finally feel this way..."  
"Ted, dude-"

"I know it's soon, but I think she's the girl I marry, you know, and have kids with in my house, and maybe a dog-"

"Robin's pregnant." Barney said loudly so that Ted could hear. Ted said nothing. His expression was easy to read; shock. Barney looked expectantly at his best friend, but before he could say anything, Ted got up and left.

**AN: Whaaat? Don't worry; it's probably not what you think. There will be no Ted/Robin crap in the fic, I can assure you! Please review, follow and favorite!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Hi guys! Apologies for the slightly shorter chapter 5, but it was more of a set-up for what's happening this chapter! Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites, follows, etc, it means a lot! Enjoy Chapter 6!**

Ted was in shock. Of course, like everyone else, he'd believed Robin couldn't have children, but now she was pregnant? He was dumbfounded. As soon as Barney had told him of the news, he could think of doing only one thing. As much as he felt bad about leaving Barney without as much as a goodbye, his mind was set on arriving the place he was running to before it was too late. As he ran down the street, he properly thought about the situation. Barney and Robin were going to be parents... And he wasn't even married yet. He'd thought he'd have kids by now... He tried to keep these thoughts out of his head. Now was not the time for Ted to feel sorry for himself.

Out of breath and sweating, soon, Ted could see the building he'd been running to. A smile formed on his face as he ran to the door, pulling it open with all the strength he had left. He knew Robin would appreciate this. Ted was sure that this was what she needed. This was his one shot, before Barney or someone else would surely take it. There was a small flight of stairs leading up to the one thing he wanted, and soon, he could see it right in front of his eyes: The Canadian onesie.

This was his one chance to become the favourite uncle to Barney and Robin's child. He grinned as he thought of how grateful Robin and Barney would be to receive such a cute, thoughtful gift. If he was going to be godfather to this baby, he would need to win them over. All of a sudden, he realised something. The way he'd left the bar without a "congratulations, dude!" probably seemed suspicious. _Damnit, Barney probably thought I was angry, that I was still in love with Robin or something, _thought Ted. He quickly paid for the onesie, smiling again as he noticed how cute it was, and rushed back down the street in a crazy frenzy, to Robin and Barney's apartment.

-Swarkles-

"So, he just walked out? Without a word?" asked Robin, stroking Barney's hair as they sat on the couch.  
"Yeah. It sort of upset me a little. It seemed like he was really pissed off. Like maybe he didn't want us to have a baby..." Barney's voice trailed off.  
"Hey, listen to me, I'm glad we're having this baby, you're glad we're having this baby. Isn't that all that matters? If Ted wants to be a jackass, then let him." Barney let out an exasperated sigh before turning on the television. With that, there was a frantic knock on the door. "I'll go." said Barney.

There was Ted, on the other side of the door, carrying a plastic carrier bag.  
"I should punch you in the face right now." were Barney's first words.  
"Dude, wait, you're misunderstanding-" Ted began.  
"No, _dude, _you're the one who's misunderstanding. If you think you can make this pregnancy all about you, then you're wrong. It's nothing to do with you, Ted! You're meant to be my best friend, yet you said nothing when I told you the best news I've had in ages! I mean, Robin, the love of my life, is carrying my baby, and I am so happy. But what do you do? Say congratulations? Shake my hand? No, you piss off and run away because you can't handle the situation! I don't even know why you did that! What is it, are you jealous?" Barney took a sharp breath.

"Woah, Barney, I didn't run away, and I'm not jealous. Far from it, actually." said Ted. Robin approached them, and stood next to her husband, holding his hand.  
"What do you mean by that, Ted?" she asked angrily.  
"I didn't run away because I couldn't handle it, I was just so determined to get you this..." he held up the bag. "That I forgot to congratulate you guys. In reality, I'm ecstatic that you two are having a baby! That kid's gonna be awesome!"

"Okay, Ted, this is kinda bizarre. What was so important that you had to leave Barney alone and run away to get?" asked Robin, hands on hips. Ted slowly pulled out the onesie, revealing it to the couple.  
"That's... That's really sweet, Ted." Barney chuckled, a tear in his eye. "So, you're okay with this?"  
"Of course I am. You're my best friends. I just thought this would put me in your good books so that I could be your baby's favourite uncle." Ted smiled.

Robin, however, stared at the onesie in a trance. The last time she'd seen that, it had caused an overwhelming amount of emotions. This time, she couldn't hold back the tears in front of the two men before her. She tried to wipe away the tears, but as soon as she took the onesie from Ted, she nuzzled her husband's chest, crying happy, hormonal tears into it.  
"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" Barney asked, stroking her back.  
"Was it something I said?" asked Ted.  
"No... It's just... The last time I saw this, I thought I was having your baby, Barney, and then all that stuff happened, but every time I would pass We Be Babies, I'd feel this sudden sadness. Now, it's replaced by a feeling of happiness and hope. I'm gonna love the crap out of this baby, you know." admitted Robin.

"I know you are, and so is everyone else, because when he or she is wearing this onesie, they're gonna look legendary! Thanks, Ted, for reminding me that my baby's gonna be 5/8 Canadian! I really needed reminding!" Barney joked.  
After Ted had left, Barney and Robin settled in for a night on the couch. Robin had specifically asked for a film that wouldn't make her cry, but thanks to her hormones, even Die Hard couldn't stop her from feeling emotional. Just as another guy got shot by Bruce Willis, Robin's phone began to ring.

"Hello?" she sniffed.  
"RJ? It's your father."  
"Dad? Wh-why are you calling? What's happened?" Robin's voice was full of worry.  
"Nothing, I was just scrolling down my Facebook when I happened to see Ted's photo of an all-in-one baby outfit with a maple leaf on it. The caption reads 'A gift for my best friends, parents to be!' Anything you need to tell me?"  
"Damnit Ted. Uh, Dad, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I only just found out myself... I'm having a baby." There was a silence on her father's side of the line, before she heard him clear his throat. She though she'd heard a sniffle of some sort.

"Dad, are you... crying?"  
"Uh, no, what? I'm not... crying." his voice was more high-pitched than usual, and it made Robin's heart swell to think her father was happy for her. "Look, Robin, I may be a cold-hearted man at times, but I just want to say... Well, Robin, that I'm proud of you and all you've achieved."  
"T-thank you, Daddy."  
"I must go. I'm going to hunt some rabbits. Talk soon."

He put down the phone, and Robin shrieked with glee. Those words she longed to hear had finally been said, and she was so glad. Her father was finally supporting her. She knew he'd make a great grandfather to this baby, no matter how cold hearted he was.

"Robin, you okay?" Barney called, walking back into the living room.  
"I am great. Hey, Barney, you know when we have our baby..." said Robin.  
"Yeah..."  
"We're going to tell him or her we're proud of them every day, okay?"  
"Of course we are. Our kid is going to be smart, thanks to you, gorgeous, thanks to you, and legendary, thanks to both of us."  
"Oh, I think you'll contribute to how gorgeous our child's gonna be."  
"Yeah, maybe, I am stunning." he chuckled.  
"Yeah, you are. And I'm so glad that we're having this baby. We're going to be great parents."  
"Yeah, it's gonna be legen- wait-for-it-"

**AN: Yes, another fluffy little chapter! Please review, favorite, etc! See you next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hi guys! Sorry for the later update, but I had a serious case of writer's block! Thank you so much for your reviews and your support so far! Just to let you know, this chapter is set about a month after the last - so early September. Now I've cleared that up, please enjoy Chapter 7!**

"-Dary! This doctor's appointment is going to be legendary!" Barney exclaimed, getting dressed in his and Robin's room. Robin lay on the bed, feeling a little tired. She had been restless in bed the night before, and it didn't help that Barney was trying to have sex with her all the time; not that he didn't succeed. Due to the complications that could arise during Robin's shock pregnancy, her doctor has scheduled an appointment for her after passing her 12-week mark, to check that everything was going smoothly. Robin was dreading it.

"Barney, I get that you're excited, but aren't you a little nervous?" Robin tied her bathrobe around her body as she got up from bed.  
"Nervous? We're getting to see our baby today, why could I be nervous?" Barney said, his grin displaying his excitement clearly.  
"Well, the doctor did say that there could be some difficulties during the pregnancy. There's a chance this could go wrong, Barney, and that..." she took in a breath bravely. "_Petrifies me."_ He turned to face her, and saw the look of sheer worry in her eyes. Barney sat next to her and rested a hand on her back, rubbing in tender circles.

"Robin, there are always risks. It was risky when you agreed to marry me, but look how that turned out. It was risky for you to even date me in the first place... What I'm trying to say is that your risks have paid off in the past... You're going to be fine, and so is Baby Stinson." He pecked her lips quickly, lingering slightly so that his nosed grazed hers.  
"I love you." murmured Robin.  
"And I love you. Now, get dressed, baby, or we're going to be late."

-Swarkles-

Though he put up a brave front, Barney hated hospitals. Sure, he had some great memories, amazing moments of his life that had happened in hospitals, like realizing he loved Robin, and kissing her a year later. But the _smell _and the _white, white _walls made him feel uneasy. It reminded him of the time he'd injured his ankle when he was seven, playing football, and whilst pretending to be asleep, heard his mother and father arguing for the fifth time that day. It reminded him of when his mother was sick, and he thought she wouldn't make it through a few years back. Shrugging off his thoughts, Barney concentrated on supporting his wife, who was biting her nails incessantly next to him.

"How you holding up, babe?" he asked, taking one of her hands.  
"Uh, yeah, I'm, yeah, good, I'm fine, yeah." she stuttered. "Do you think they'll ask about finding out the sex today?"  
"Maybe. Would you like to know?"  
"I'm not sure. It would make planning easier. Which reminds me, the landlord of our new apartment called earlier, our apartment should be ready in a few weeks."  
"Really? We can get to christening every room as soon as possible then, right?" he chuckled.

She hit his arm playfully. They'd decided a few weeks back that the Fortress of Barnitude wasn't exactly _suitable _for a baby, and had decided to move to a cosier, less _bachelor-esque_ apartment. As they talked about colour schemes and furniture, the calling of "Robin Stinson" interrupted them. Linking hands, they walked together to the room where they would soon see their unborn baby.

Robin lay on the doctor's chair, as Barney tapped his foot against the hard tiled floor impatiently. The assistant had informed them that Doctor Collins would be with them shortly, and Barney's first thought was '_This Collins had better not be a dude.'_ He breathed out a sigh of relief as a small woman in her mid-forties walked into the room.  
"Hi, Mr and Mrs Stinson?" she inquired, her tone happy. _Mr and Mrs Stinson. _Robin considered the way they had been referred to, thinking that the only time they'd even been called _Mr and Mrs Stinson _was at their wedding. _Mr and Mrs Stinson. _She liked it.

"So, Robin, how have you been feeling recently? Any morning sickness, aching?" asked Dr Collins.  
Barney cut in before Robin could answer. "Oh, she's had plenty of morning sickness, Doctor. I actually feel sorry for her, having to go through all that, I mean, it can't be easy for-" Barney realized that he was blurting out random sounds and stopped mid-sentence. He had to admit it, he was nervous. Robin took over.  
"Yeah, the sickness is pretty regular, and my back gets sore sometimes, but other than that, I feel pretty good." Robin smiled.  
"Okay, then, let me just get everything in order, and then we can see your baby."

Barney felt a bead of sweat fall from his brow as the screen began to show a blur of random shapes that vaguely resembled a womb, or at least, he thought. The silence is the room was deafening as the doctor scanned Robin's lower abdomen. Suddenly, Dr Collins's expression turned from cheery and full of glee to one of shock.  
"I'll be back in one moment. Have some water if you'd like." she excused herself, before leaving the room.  
Before he had properly realized, Barney had tears flowing down his cheeks. He didn't know how they had formed, or when they'd started falling down his cheeks; but they almost burned his skin as they travelled down his face. He couldn't exactly comprehend what had just happened. He had no clue.

"Wh-what does this mean?" Barney said quietly, clearly affected.  
"It means I fucked up." stated Robin, staring straight ahead. "It means she couldn't find a heartbeat and that's it, it's over..." she paused before crying out, "And it's all my fault!" Robin began weeping. Barney had to stop this; he couldn't bear seeing her bear herself over this.  
"Hey, we don't know that, okay, there may have been a problem with the machine, or maybe Doctor Collins scanned the wrong place or... something. Just don't... Don't worry, okay?" Robin didn't respond, but instead sobbed into his shoulder. "It's all going to be okay." He shushed her soothingly, and even though he wasn't a religious man, he prayed that this didn't mean what they thought it did.

A few moments later, after Robin had just wiped away her tears, Dr Collins returned with another tall man.  
"Robin, Barney, this is Dr Morgan, he's just here to make sure I'm doing everything right." she added. "Now, let me try again."

There was silence. Robin turned to face Barney. Barney tried to stop himself from crying. Robin was certain of what would happen next, and closed her eyes. She'd hear those words she feared hearing all along: "I'm sorry. We can't find the heartbeat." And sure enough, she heard it. Not the sound she was expecting, but instead, the sound of a loud thumping.

"There we go! There's your baby! Sorry I took so long... Damn machines..."  
Robin let out a relieved sob and Barney jumped towards his wife, looking at the screen, where he could see a tiny little blob: their baby. Both were openly sobbing with joy at the sight of their little miracle, and as Dr Collins engaged in conversation with Dr Morgan, they embraced in a kiss, their tears streaming, colliding with each other.  
"There's our baby." Robin exclaimed.  
"There's our baby!" repeated Barney, mirroring her joy.  
"Would you like to know the sex?" asked Dr Collins suddenly.

Simultaneously, the couple turned to face each other, and simultaneously said: "Yes." "No."  
Robin turned to Barney. "No?"  
"I want a surprise." he replied.  
"But, Dr Collins, you can tell me, right?" asked Robin. Dr Collins nodded and leaned in to whisper in Robin's ear. Robin leaned in to hear her answer, and listened.

She grinned.

**AN: dun dun DUUUUN! Another cliffhanger! Will Barney crack and want to know the sex? Wait and see... Please review, follow, etc, it would mean a lot! Until the next time...**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hey guys! So, you may or may not have noticed, but the rating for this fic has changed to M, because this chapter is gon' get smutty! Only slightly, but I changed the rating just in case. Hope you like this chapter - not as much angst as the last one, but hopefully still enjoyable!**

It had been two weeks since Robin had learned the sex of their baby, and so far, Barney had kept his cool. He hadn't pestered Robin to know if they were having a boy or a girl, he hadn't tried to make her slip up and accidentally tell him. That was, of course, until the last Sunday of September 2013. The previous night, Barney had been reading the newspaper, and saw an article for a new baby boutique coming to Manhattan. Next to the article was a photo of a toddler - a girl - wearing the cutest dress he'd ever laid his eyes upon. He'd asked Robin if they could get a dress like that for their baby, hoping she'd give him a little hint.  
"Barney, I'm not answering that question, I won't let you trap me!" she giggled.

So, Barney finally realized that the only way he'd get Robin to spill the beans was through bribery. He'd gotten up early on Sunday to cook Robin a fabulous breakfast; surely Robin would crack after tasting his infamous waffles. After they'd finished cooking, he held the plate right outside their bedroom door, sending wafts of beautiful pastries to his wife. He counted to five, and sure enough, Robin had emerged from her slumber. She was only wearing her baggy Canucks t-shirt, which covered her small bump, and her hair in a ponytail, but Barney couldn't keep his eyes off her. He almost dropped the plate, he was so transfixed by her beauty.

"Ooh! Waffles! Gimme, Stinson, I didn't sleep at all last night; your kid was moving around all night!" Robin said, grouchy.  
"Oh, so when the baby gets on your nerves, it's only _my _kid, but when it's being all adorable, it's ours?" Barney teased.  
"You know what I meant, now give me those waffles or I won't be responsible for my actions!" Barney lay the plate down in front of Robin, adding a dash of syrup, before she began to ravish it. His timing had to be perfect. If he was going to get Robin to use a pronoun accidentally when discussing the baby, he needed to do it when she was in a delicious daze.

As she stabbed the third piece of waffle she'd broken off, Barney began the Great Plan.  
"So, Robin, any ideas on how we're going to decorate the nursery? I was thinking fairies, maybe? I know she'd love that, wouldn't she? Girls-" Barney began.  
"Barney, I know what you're doing. Just because you made me these admittedly delicious pancakes, doesn't mean I'm going to tell you the gender. You said you didn't want to know!"  
"Well, now I want to know!" said Barney in a child-like manner.  
"Well, tough, you made your decision, and I am going to take advantage of that by torturing you with it for the next five and a half months!" she cackled before pecking him on the lips, then returned to her waffle.

_Okay, so food didn't do it... What else can I do to get this out of her? _thought Barney. _Withholding sex until she tells me? Nah, that wouldn't work, I'd miss the sex..._ It troubled Barney for some time that he couldn't think of a Plan B. And then it hit him. _Withholding_ sex wasn't the solution... He'd use it as a weapon, and bribe her with it! That was a sane solution, right?

-Swarkles-

Later that night, Robin returned from her day out shopping with Lily, to find those good old rose petals scattered across the floor, in what seemed to be a path. She arched her brow in confusion. Barney had told her he'd slipped into work to do some paperwork, but apparently, that wasn't the case. Dropping her bag down on the couch, she followed the path to the bedroom, and opened the door; pleasantly surprised at what she saw before her.

"Hi." greeted Barney, a gigantic smile on his face.  
"You're... naked..." Robin stated, her eyes wide open in shock.  
"Indeed, I am," Barney continued, moving closer to her. "But you, on the other hand, are wearing far too many items of clothing for my liking." He winked, and just like that, she jumped him. _Why hadn't he thought of this sooner? _Her lips attacked his in a craze, and she began removing her shirt. But he wasn't going to make it that easy. When the moment would arise, he'd make her divulge the secret in the best way he knew how. But he'd get to that in a minute.

As he was already naked, he helped her take off her clothes slowly, treasuring the moment.  
"Barney, I don't know what the occasion is, and frankly I don't care, but seriously, you need to take my skirt off... Now!" He obeyed her order and practically ripped the garment off.  
"I love the new sex-obsessed pregnant you, Robin, I have to admit!"  
"Yeah, like I wasn't obsessed before?" she chuckled. Soon enough, she was naked too, as Barney initiated Plan B.

He trailed his fingers up her legs _painfully slow, _as she draped an arm around his shoulders.  
"Barney..." she was clearly frustrated with his slowness.  
"Ssh, relax. I need a favour from you, and you can co-operate... Or not." Barney whispered.  
"W-what is it?" she murmured, biting her lip.  
"You're going to tell me the gender of our baby, and then I'll make all this... frustration go away, okay?"  
"Oh, no way."  
"Okay, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." he chuckled darkly.

Ever so slowly, he slipped a finger into Robin, which, of course, resulted in low moans from her.  
"This... this is torture, Barney..." she whispered.  
"That's the whole point, baby." he grinned, slowly removing his fingers and re-entered them slowly. "Now do you want to tell me? Make things easier?"  
"Never."  
"Fine, but you asked for it..."  
Laying her down on the bed, Barney teased her entrance, whispering dirty sweet nothings into her ear. Her concentration began to weaken, but she kept trying to tell herself to not back down. She tried pressing him closer to her, which resulted in another chuckle from Barney, as he added "God, you must really be suffering, huh?" He relieved some of her aching by entering her slowly, after numerous whispers of "I need you" from his wife.

"Barney, please..." she pleaded.  
"Please what?" he grinned.  
"... faster..." was all Barney could hear her mutter under her breath.  
"You know what you have to do, Robin... One little word and then I will go as fast as you want."  
She shook her head.  
He withdrew himself from inside of her, and began to kiss her softly. Shaking her head in a frustrated frenzy, her patience wearing thin. He knew that there only a few seconds until she had to reveal the secret. With one last gentle stroke of his fingers against her, she finally murmured "Boy.", breathlessly.

"What was that? What did you say?" Barney was thrilled.  
"A boy, Barney, we're having a boy!" Robin whispered.  
He kissed her passionately, a little teary-eyed. "Now, I believe you must keep your side of the bargain..."  
Barney giggled, but before he could get to work, Robin flipped over so that she could look down on him.

"I love you." he said, before she frantically pressed her lips against his.

**AN: Kind of a filler chapter, I know, but stick with me, I have big plans for this story! Please review, favourite, follow, whatever!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Sorry for the wait, I won't make excuses, so let's just carry on! There's a little nod to last night's episode in this fic, so look out for that! Also, pregnancy-wise Robin is about 6 months gone!**

Robin had never been the biggest fan of winter; it brought back too many harsh memories: Learning she could supposedly not have children, letting Barney dump Nora whilst she didn't keep her promise... But the memory of Barney's proposal conquered all those horrible ones. She was married, and madly in love, with a baby on the way; it was all she ever wanted, though she may not have always known it.

It was Christmas Eve. Barney had been out buying last minute presents for his family members since the early morning, whilst Robin had been swapping pregnancy stories with Lily. He had planned out the perfect presents for Robin weeks go. Robin had assured him that she didn't care about presents, and had deemed them 'stupid', but he knew that she meant the opposite.

He remembered her telling him months ago about some locket that she'd buried in Central Park, and how it had gotten lost. Not only had he bought a locket for her, but also he had engraved it with the date of their wedding on the back. To make it even better, he had placed a tiny picture of their baby boy in the last sonogram in the locket. Robin would surely cry, but it was worth it.

Barney had just bought some perfume for his mom when his phone began to ring.  
"Go for Barney." he answered.  
"Hey, it's me." Robin. Every time he heard her voice it was like falling in love with her all over again.  
"Robin, I swear, I'm almost done..."  
"It's fine, take your time. I was actually calling about something else..."  
"Oh my god, is Mini Stinson on his way? I'm not prepared, we have so much left to do, painting the nursery, buying clothes, a crib..." his voice was high-pitched and panicked.  
"Slow your roll there, Barney, it's not that either, calm down!" she chuckled. He made her laugh without ever realizing.  
"So, then, what is it?"

"I was talking to Lily about baby names, and I think I have the best one yet..."  
For weeks now, Robin and Barney had been struggling over baby names, with Robin suggesting common names like Thomas, and Barney exclaiming, "Our child will have a legendary name, Robin, and Thomas is too ordinary!" Barney was sceptical about this name being 'the best', but nevertheless, he continued to listen.

"Okay, so you know how you like the unique names and how I don't want out child to be bullied?"  
He chuckled. "Yes."  
"Well, what do you think of Joshua for a first name, but then we take one of your more original suggestions for a middle name and call him Joshua Isaac Stinson? Josh for short."  
Barney's face lit up as Robin continued. "See, Isaac is original, but not so unique that he gets beat up in the playground. And I didn't want to name him after our dads or anyone we know, because I know you wouldn't find that 'original' enough." she mocked.  
"I think it's great. Ted's gonna be pretty bummed that we didn't name him Theodore though."  
"Eh, he'll live. So, I'll see you at home?"  
"See you at home, gorgeous."

-Swarkles-

It was 11:58. Barney and Robin were trying to make it to midnight, like children waiting for Santa. They lay on the couch, Barney stroking his wife's hair tenderly as she watched the tv with sleepy eyes. Barney felt bad for making her stay up; she was usually in bed at nine thirty these days, her bump making daily activities more exhausting than usual. He glanced at the clock. 11:59.

"Okay, Robin, it is nearly Christmas Day, and I'd like you to open my present at midnight, then you can sleep, baby, okay?"  
Robin responded with a positive-sounding mumble, and sat upright as Barney emerged from his room with a box.  
"Now, this is only the first present, but it's the best one, so in about 30 seconds, you can open this."  
"Wait, you need to open something too!" she leaned over and picked up a present from under the tree. "You get this one."

As the handle of the clock inched closer to 12, Barney and Robin counted down, like a pair of loved-up idiots.  
"5, 4, 3, 2,1!" Barney made sure that Robin opened her present a fraction of a second before he did, just to be able to see her reaction before he opened his.  
The moment her eyes opened wide as she glanced at the locket was a moment Barney was sure he would never forget. It was a look of confusion, understanding, then utter joy.  
"Barney, I... How did you remember... I don't..."  
"It's not the actual locket, but I saw this replica of it and I knew you had to have it. Turn it over."

_Turn it over... _Robin thought about how he'd said those exact words to her a year ago on the roof of World Wide News and all of a sudden, she began to weep as she saw the engraving. She accidentally clicked the locket open, and when she saw their beautiful baby boy, she leaped towards Barney and enveloped him in a hug. Smiling, Barney held her tighter, kissing her forehead.  
"Merry Christmas." he whispered.  
"I love you." she replied. Wiping away a tear, she added, "Wait, you didn't get a chance to open yours yet! Not that it's at all as amazing and wonderful as this beautiful locket."

Ripping the wrapping paper, Barney chuckled as he saw the gift his wife had bought him: A Vancouver Canucks shirt.  
"I thought, seeing as our kid is going to be a total Canucks fan, you should embrace the Hoser inside of you!" she giggled.  
"You are... just perfect." said Barney. He pulled the shirt on over his head and made a 'ta-da!' gesture with his hands. "Ugh, just by wearing this I feel the Canadian inside of me trying to burst out. I feel more polite and well-mannered." they both chuckled. "Thank you for this, Robin, I will treasure it."

"You'd better. Spoiler alert, I also got you a Canadian flag mug, just to remind you of your heritage."

-Swarkles-

That morning, Barney realized something. This would be their last Christmas with just the two of them. A year from now, they'd have little Josh around to get excited about presents, that'd be new. He'd be Santa next year, which would be new too. But it didn't bother him as he thought of his favourite rule: New is _always _better.

**AN: Thanks for reading, please review etc. See you next time!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hello readers! Just to let you know, I don't plan on finishing this story after Robin gives birth, I have many ideas! I may be writing a Nick/Jess fic soon, so if you're interested, let me know! The Mother (Martha) is in this chapter, too, as a treat for you all! Enjoy!**

It was the 30th of February 2014: the day of Robin's baby shower. She was over eight months pregnant by now, and was accustomed to back aches and exhaustion. Barney did his best to ease the pain, but Robin would sometimes become agitated and annoyed by him. He understood that it was the hormones, and dealt with her in a calm, loving manner. One thing Robin had learned was that Barney was _amazing _at giving neck and shoulder massages, which helped her to relax.

Her shower was starting at one, which meant Robin had two hours to prepare herself. She'd sent Barney out with Marshall and Ted for the morning to do something productive, so that he couldn't distract her. Lily would be arriving soon to help her, along with Martha, Ted's girlfriend. After meeting her in Robin and Barney's wedding, Ted had introduced Martha to the group fairly quickly, and ever since, she had fit into the gang naturally. Robin was just tidying the living room when both ladies arrived.

"Never fear, Team Baby Shower are here!" announced Lily as Martha chuckled. Robin drew both women in for a hug before stating, "Thank goodness! There's a lot to do, balloons, I have to hoover the carpet, and..."  
"Robin," interrupted Martha. "This is your day. Lily and I have all the prep covered, you sit yourself down and relax; we'll do the rest."  
Robin exhaled. "Thanks, you guys. I hope you decide to keep dating Ted for a while, you've become very useful these past few months!" she teased.  
Martha laughed. "Sure, I'll try."

-Swarkles-

Surprisingly, Barney was eager to attend the baby shower, meaning, of course, that Ted and Marshall were also roped into it. The men arrived at 12:50, just as all the work had been finished.  
"Hey, Barn! So, what did you guys get up to?" smiled Robin.  
"Uh, not much, really..." Marshall began.  
"We were at the bar all morning!" confessed Barney.  
"Dude!" exclaimed Ted.  
"Ted, I can't lie to her, she's my wife!"  
Robin giggled, shaking her head. "Thanks for being truthful, Barney, that just earned you serious brownie points." she pecked him on the lips.  
"Hmm, what do I get in exchange for all these points?" he whispered.  
"We can talk prizes after the shower."

After exchanging pleasantries and greetings with Robin's parents and Carole (talk about awkward), Barney's mom, dad, step-mom and step-siblings, amongst many other guests, it was time for the gifts. Loretta decided to go first.  
"It's not much, dear, but I hope you'll like it." she said. Barney sat on the arm of the couch, rubbing soft circles onto Robin's back subtly, wondering what on earth his mother could have gotten them. Robin peeled back the baby blue wrapping to reveal a dream catcher. It was beautiful, made of dark blue material with delicate beads hanging down.  
"Mom, is that..." Barney's voice was hoarse.

"Yes, dear, it's yours." Loretta thought she should explain to the guests the significance of this gift. "You see, when Barney was little, he would get these horrible nightmares, usually about monsters and ghosts and whatnot. So, when he was about five or six years old, he'd woken up from the worst nightmare yet; he was sweating and shaking. Anyway, I told him that I had a solution to the problem. There was a dream catcher in the shop down the road, and I made it my mission to buy it for my little Barney if it was the last thing I did. I got to the shop, and there was a lady about to pick the last one from the shelf. Now, I'm not proud of what I did next..."

"Yeah, you are." laughed Barney, trying to hide the tears in his eyes.  
"Well, maybe a little. So, what I did was scream, in my most terrified voice, 'Fire! There's a fire!'. Of course, the poor woman ran like the wind, along with a few other customers. I didn't shout loud enough for the shopkeeper to hear me, thank God, or I would've been in trouble. So, I took the dream catcher from the shelf, very pleased with myself. The first thing I did, after paying, of course, was run home to tell Barney, and put it on his wall. And I swear to God, he didn't have one nightmare after that day."  
Several sounds of 'awwh' filled the room, as Robin looked up towards Barney, who was smiling.  
"Well, thank you so much, Loretta, this is really sweet." Robin hugged her mother-in-law before giving the gift to Barney to cherish.

After unwrapping many more gifts: clothes, toys, etc, it was time for the gang's gifts.  
"Ok," Lily began. "This one is from Marshall and I, be careful as you open it, by the way."  
"We hope you like it." added Marshall.  
Barney opened the gift slowly, and before Robin could see what it was, she noticed the amazed look on her husband's face. Then she looked at the gift.  
"I-I, Lil, how did you..." Robin stammered.  
"I know. You're welcome.""You got our baby a snow globe, but not only that, the scene inside is that of a guy in a suit, a girl holding a Canadian flag and a baby on a sled! How did you even... I can't..."  
"I think she means thank you." added Barney.  
"You're welcome." said Marshall, laughing at Robin's speechlessness.

Ted placed a gift into Robin's hands, Martha standing at his side. "I can't promise ours will be as good as Lily and Marshall's, but here's mine and Martha's gift for little Joshua."  
The wrapping was exquisite, as Ted's wrapping only could be; gold and blue wrapping paper with a gorgeous golden ribbon wrapped around it. Robin grinned excitedly as she began to open it. Trying not to rip the beautiful paper, she pulled it back to reveal a book entitled 'Lullabies for Boys'. Confused, Robin looked towards Ted.  
"It's a book of traditional lullabies and children's stories that have been changed into stories of adventure and all have cool stuff that boys would like: playing in the mud, superheroes, that kind of stuff." he explained.  
"I initially thought it was kinda sexist, but it's really cute." added Martha with a smile.  
"Thank you, you two, this is really sweet of you." said Robin.

-Swarkles-

That night, after all the guests had left, Robin and Barney retreated to their bedroom.  
"So, quite a day, huh?" said Barney, wrapping an arm around his wife.  
"Yeah, pretty emotional stuff with your mom. You okay?" asked Robin, stroking Barney's arm softly.  
"Yeah, it just made me realize... I want to be as good of a parent to our kid as my mom was to me. She wasn't perfect, and neither are we, but I'm really excited about this."  
"Me too," she pecked his lips. "I love you. I can't wait for us to be parents."  
"Me either. Love you too."

Barney woke with a start in the middle of the night to discover his wife was no longer lying at his side.  
"Robin...?" he called out, only to receive no reply. "Robin, baby, where are you?" He could hear a muffled noise coming from the bathroom, and knocked on the door. "Robin, you in there?"  
A few seconds later, he heard a mumbled "Uh, yeah."  
"Is everything okay?" he asked. He was pretty worried and confused.  
"Uh, yeah, it's probably nothing."  
"Robin, would you open the door?" A few moments later, he heard the click of the lock, and opened the bathroom door. Robin stood in her pyjamas, teary eyed. "W-what's wrong, what happened?" he stuttered.

She gulped. "I, uh, think the baby's coming."

"Now?"  
"Now."  
Barney had only one instinct at this point: to get his wife to hospital. He took her hand reassuringly and rushed out the door. This was going to be complicated.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hi! Okay, I have some news and updates! I will be beginning a Nick/Jess fic within the next 2 weeks or so (after my exams), but this fic will also be continuing at the same time! Hopefully, this next chapter has something for everyone, but one thing it's got a lot of is DRAMA. Hope you like it, here's Chapter 10.**

Robin felt sick to her stomach. There had been no time to get an ambulance, so she was sitting in the passenger's seat of Barney's car as he raced through the city. She hadn't looked at him since he had started driving, but she could tell he was scared.

Barney wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was terrified. He knew the birth wouldn't be easy because of Robin's condition, but for the baby to come early? He didn't know how bad it would be; he just knew it would be bad. Barney couldn't look at his wife for fear of breaking down, so instead, he placed one hand on top of hers to comfort her, still looking straight ahead. He tried to think of something to say that would help, but decided to stay silent.

They remained silent for the rest of the journey, both quietly tearing up, but neither acknowledging it. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but both Robin and Barney were aware of its complexity. As they arrived the hospital, Barney grabbed Robin's bag, along with her hand, and lead her inside. He took a deep breath before stating her name to the receptionist, and before he could properly process everything that was happening, Robin was taken away.

Barney decided to call Lily, Marshall and Ted. It was around five in the morning by now, but he knew they'd want to know. First, he called Lily.  
"Barney, it's five in the morning, what are you-" Lily begun angriy.  
"Lil'." he swallowed.  
"Oh my god, Barney, what's happened?" It was amazing how well Lily knew Barney.  
"It's... It's Robin, we're at the hospital, and they've taken her away, I don't know what's happening, the baby's coming, I-"

"Hey, Barney, it's okay, we'll be there as soon as possible. Why are you so upset?"  
Barney took a deep breath. "It's just... I'm _so scared_, Lil'. I knew there could be problems with the birth, and now he's coming early, too." he sighed.  
"It's gonna be okay, I'll call Ted, we'll get there really soon, okay? Hang in there, Barney, it's going to be fine."

As he pressed the red button, he could hear the shuffling of feet behind him.  
"Mr Stinson?" asked an unfamiliar nurse.  
"Uh, yes, tha-that's me." he shook as he sat.  
"If you'd like to come with me, the doctor would like to speak with you."

-Swarkles-

"Mr Stinson, before you go and see your wife, I'd like to talk to you." said Doctor Collins as Barney entered the quiet, clean room.  
"Is she okay? The baby, is he okay?" Barney was in a state of panic.  
"Well, we have run some tests, and it seems like your baby is ready to be birthed. I'd like to warn you, Mr Stinson, as your wife had a very complicated condition..." There was that word again. _Complicated. _That was practically the definition of their relationship. "There is a small chance that this birth won't be easy. I can't guarantee the safety of your baby. Do you understand?"  
Barney nodded. "So, what you're saying is that our baby might not make it?" The doctor simply nodded, before letting out a sigh.  
"It is a small chance. Now, if you'd follow me to your wife's room, she's ready to give birth your baby."

Barney walked down a corridor with white, white walls, people in white, white coats surrounding him, walking the opposite way. He got the feeling in his stomach he used to get when his dad would get home: a mixture of nerves and something that resembled excitement. He had to think positively.

Meanwhile, Robin had been lying on a hospital bed for a few hours, not knowing what to think. She had no idea what was happening, but the only thing she did know was that she needed her husband. As the very thought came to her, as if by fate, Barney walked through the door, along with her doctor.

"Barney..." the words slipped out of her mouth before she'd even thought about them. He walked over to her, and it was clear he had been crying.  
"Hey... Ready to have this baby?" he asked, taking her hand in between both of his. She nodded, leaning up to kiss him. For a moment, they forgot. They forgot about the hospital, the complications, and the baby. For a moment, it was just them; Barney and Robin. Breaking apart, they tried to stay positive by smiling, but both Robin and Barney knew how the other felt. Dr Collins politely smiled at the couple before clearing her throat. "Okay, Robin, I'm going to need you to push, but only when I tell you to, okay?"

-Swarkles-

It had been a long, tedious morning for the couple. Robin was clearly exhausted, and by the time Lily, Marshall and Ted arrived at around 6am, she was so close to giving up.

"Robin, c'mon, baby, you're almost there, don't give up now!" encouraged Barney, who had just received word that his friends were outside the room. Doctor Collins shouted "Last push!", and it was as if life had slowed down for a few moments. Barney saw his wife push with all her strength and might, and like that, it was over.  
"Well, here's your healthy baby boy!" exclaimed Doctor Collins, as a cry filled the air, and Barney's eyes filled with happy tears. He was so transfixed by his new son; his dark brown hair was just like Robin's, but his eyes... His blue eyes were just like Barney's. Barney couldn't stop staring at his son.  
"Hi, Joshua..." he whispered. He was so busy with his newborn son that he had forgotten to acknowledge his wife.

"Robin, look, he looks just like-" Barney began, looking up to Robin. He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed that she was practically motionless. "Robin?" there was no response. Doctor Collins looked towards him, the panic evident in her eyes. She pressed a button on the wall next to her, which triggered some sort of alarm, Barney was guessing. _No. Not Robin. Please, not Robin._

"Mr Stinson, you'll have to leave, this is very-" she began.  
"Complicated? Please, you have to do some-"  
A group of doctors burst into the room, one taking the baby to the other side of the room, as if about to take him somewhere safe. "Mr Stinson, there has been severe bleeding, there is nothing you can do but wait outside. Please!"  
"Where are they taking him? Where are they taking Josh?" he begged.  
"He's fine, he's being taken to the room where the babies can sleep in peace, but, Mr Stinson..."  
"I'm going."

Barney walked slowly out of the door, looking back to see a group of people surrounding his wife, with all sorts of equipment. Closing the door, he turned to see three of his best friends sitting expectantly outside.

"So...?" said Ted, clearly excited.  
"Baby's okay." said Barney in a melancholy way.  
"That's great!" Marshall went to hug him. "So, what's wrong, why-" he stopped mid-sentence after noticing the tears in his friend's eyes.  
Lily began to cry. "It's Robin, isn't it?"

Barney nodded. His voice began to shake as he spoke the next few words. "There, uh, there was bleeding. Too much... She, uh... I don't know what's happening, but they're trying..." he broke down before finishing his sentence. Lily, Ted and Marshall enveloped him in a hug, all three of them tearing up too. Barney's voice was full of fear as he said, "I don't know what I'll do without her."


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Hi guys! So, this is it. I'd thought of taking this fic longer, but what I'm thinking could happen is that I'll make a separate fic like a continuation of this storyline if I feel like revisiting it. But that'll be later on, as I have a Ness fic to write (and maybe a new Finchel one). Hope you enjoy, here's Chapter 12!**

There had been no news. Barney had been pacing the hospital floor for what felt like a whole day. Lily had tried to calm him down, but her attempts were met with short-tempered shouts of 'You don't understand!'. He had dark purple bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep, and though he hadn't eaten for hours, he didn't feel hungry; he couldn't eat a thing. It was mid-morning, Barney guessed, because the sunlight shot through the glass windows, hitting his eyes. He had told his friends to leave, as he felt they should go home, but nevertheless, they stayed by his side. He could hear Ted speaking to Martha on the phone behind him.

"Yeah, we don't really know what's going on, but it doesn't look too great... It's okay, you need to go to work... Okay, see you after. Love you. Bye." said Ted, his voice hoarse. Barney considered his best friend's words. '_It doesn't look too great.' _- the understatement of the century. Barney's son had been taken to a place unknown to him, and his wife was fighting for her life. He couldn't help either of him; it made him feel completely futile.

"Mr Stinson?" a woman's voice interrupted his thoughts.  
"Is she okay?" he said quickly.  
"It's unclear at the moment, but I thought maybe you'd like to go and visit your son..." Barney paused before answering. He didn't feel like seeing anyone, but his son needed him. He was close to losing his mother; he couldn't lose his father too. Barney nodded, clearing his throat before following the kind-looking nurse down the corridor.

-Swarkles-

He was _perfect. _Barney hadn't truly realized or appreciated how _incredible _his son was when he was born. But now, as he stared at the adorable blue-eyed baby in front of him, he knew that he loved him more than he thought was ever possible. Barney noticed his nose properly - recognizing it as Robin's, and his dimples too. He tried to hold back tears as Joshua reminded him of the struggle his wife was going through. The nurse murmured an excuse before leaving both father and son alone.

"Hello, Joshua. Now, I'm not sure if you know me yet; we haven't had much of a chance to bond." Barney laughed nervously. "But, I'm your daddy. I just know we're going to have so much fun when we get home... We can go to the park, and maybe when you're a little older, we can play baseball... Or, you know, ballet, whatever you want to do, I'm cool with that." Barney could feel the water rising in his eyes as he spoke the next few sentences. "And your mom's gonna be there too. Right now, she's fighting, but she's strong. Your mommy is so strong, Josh. I see a lot of her in you, already, you know. You fought your way into this world, and you survived. I just know that your mom is going to do the same thing, because she's a fighter just like you. And, and, when you bring home someone you love, your mom and I are gonna tease you and embarrass you, but you'll secretly love it, because you'll love him or her enough to ignore us."

"I hope you marry someone like your mother, Josh, because she's the best kind of woman there is. She's wonderful, you know; she's put up with me for all these years. Even though she might not admit it, when she truly loves someone, she _really _loves them. I hope you find someone who loves you just like I love you and your mom. And then, when your mom and I are all old and wrinkled, you can come visit us with your kids, who will be amazing. I just know that your life is going to be special, because you have so many people that are going to love you. That includes your Aunt Lily, and Uncle Ted and Uncle Marshall, and Grandma and Grandpa. But, your mom and I..." he drew in a breath. "We'll love you the most. Hang in there, son, everything's going to work out. Love you, buddy."

Barney couldn't contain any more; he had to be by himself for a while. The tears ran down his face now, and thinking about his son living without a mother broke his heart. He needed to sleep, but he couldn't. He wouldn't sleep until he knew his wife was okay; no matter how long it would take.

-Swarkles-

It was an hour later that Barney received news of his wife. He had been ripping his paper coffee cup into hundreds of tiny pieces for a while, as his friends continued to support him from the other side of the hallway. He hadn't stopped crying since his visit to Joshua, and by the time the nurse showed up, Barney had almost given up on any hope of getting news. He heard the footsteps on the cold, hard floor before hearing anything. He bolted upright, wiping the tears of the bittersweet day away quickly. Barney looked up at the nurse expectantly.  
"Uh, we have news regarding your wife, Mr Stinson."

Barney almost ignored her, as he was so busy concentrating on the thought that had just struck him. In his mind, he pictured Joshua sitting on his shoulders, laughing. He pictured what he would do when Josh went to prom with his date, and he saw himself taking pictures eagerly. He saw no one else with him. He realized that if his wife was indeed dead, he would have to raise Josh alone, and that was a thought that troubled him. But, as he looked to his left, he saw Lily, Marshall, Ted, and even Martha sit up expectantly. He wouldn't be alone. Joshua would have a family whether or not Robin was alive, and although Barney felt sick at the thought of losing his wife, he assured himself that he would not be going through this alone. It gave him a fragment of comfort in the horrendous situation.

Before the nurse spoke again, Barney inhaled. He considered putting his hands over his ears - _if she doesn't tell me my wife is dead, it means she isn't dead yet. _The thought repeated in his head like a mantra of denial, and he knew it was stupid. He knew that his wife could already be dead, despite what the nurse would say. The damage might have already been done. He had to approach this like a grown up; he was a father now, and he had to deal with this. He braced himself, and for a few seconds, his whole body tensed up as he clenched his eyes shut. He felt a hand grip his, and knew it was Lily's. She held onto it so tight that he knew she was as anxious for this as he was. He might be losing a wife, but Lily was possibly losing a best friend too.

"The doctors and surgeons have been trying to stop the bleeding for hours, as you know. At approximately nine thirty-two this morning..." Barney flinched at the time. _The time of Robin's death. _"Robin regained consciousness, and we were able to pronounce her condition as stable."  
Barney felt a yelp escape his mouth. "She's okay?"  
"Yes, Mr Stinson, she is okay."

The first thing Barney did was grab Lily, whose hand was still on his, and hug her close. Soon, the others joined in, all five of them sobbing with pure joy. The next thing Barney did was run. He ran down the corridor towards Robin's room, wanting, needing to be with her in that moment. He skidded around the corner before almost collapsing into her room, and there she was. She looked a little tired and worse for wear, but Barney was so overcome with joy that he just kissed her. He cupped her face, passionately pressing his lips against hers, as she reciprocated just as passionate.

"I love you, Barney." she said, eyes full of tears.  
"I love you too, and please don't ever do that to me again!" he chuckled, kissing her again. The gang tumbled into the room a few moments later, exchanging hugs and tearing up with Robin. Barney had thought he was out of tears, but he had been proven wrong. He stroked his _beautiful, extraordinary _wife's hair as she cried both happy and exhausted tears. Soon, a nurse entered the room.  
"We thought he should be with his parents..." As both Robin and Barney turned to see her, they saw that she was pushing their son into the room in a little cot. The sound of pure glee Robin made by seeing her son was a sound Barney would surely remember forever.

Robin picked her son up out of his crib, and stared lovingly into his beautiful eyes.  
"He has your eyes." she exclaimed, laughing through the tears breathlessly.  
"Yeah, but look at his nose, that's all you, baby." Barney added.  
Her son overwhelmed Robin. "Barney, how is it that we actually created this person?" she asked.  
"I know; it's unbelievable." he agreed.  
"Hey, Joshua," Robin cooed. "I'm your mom... Yes... Ooh, I can tell that I'm going to love having you around, yes I can... Oh, and this is your daddy..."  
"Actually, uh, we've been introduced." chuckled Barney.

And there, in that little hospital room, began their little miracle's life; their new life as parents. They couldn't wait.

**Epilogue**

"Mom, Dad, that's enough pictures, seriously!" exclaimed Joshua as the camera flashed again.  
"Josh, it's your prom, we need pictures of this!" explained Robin as she took another shot of her son and his beautiful girlfriend, Leia, in their finery. It had been around sixteen years since the day of Josh's birth, and both Robin and Barney felt old as they stared at their son, though they were only forty-nine and fifty-two.

"Josh, just humour your mother, okay, she just wants to show the pictures to everyone to show them how awesome our son is!" Barney added, standing behind his wife.  
Josh groaned. "One more picture, that's it."  
"Oh, wait," Robin stated. "You need one with your little sister! Barney, would you go get her?"  
Barney nodded, before appearing moments later with a brown-haired nine year old in tow. "Lizzie also wants a picture with Leia, by the way." he told his wife.

After Josh's turbulent birth, Barney and Robin had agreed not to have any more children. But, when Josh was around four, they changed their minds, and began a plan to adopt. When they met Lizzie, they knew she would fit in perfectly with the family. She had somehow developed Barney's humour, using the words 'legendary' and 'awesome' more than any child her age. But, she was beautiful, and she was theirs, even if not biologically.

Robin took two more photos before letting her son and his date relax. Lizzie was playing with Hanna's hair, and was happily occupied. Robin turned to her husband.  
"You know, if someone had told me back in 2005 than in 25 years, I'd be married to you with two kids, I probably would have laughed. A lot."  
"Gee, thanks." Barney grinned.  
"You know what I mean."  
"Yeah," Barney smiled. "They grew up so fast. We did good though, right, Scherbatsky?" Though Robin had been 'Stinson' for 17 years, the old nickname had still stuck around.  
"Yeah, we really did."

And with that, the doorbell rang. Marvin Eriksen's tall figure walked through the door, his parents practically tiny behind him, followed by Ted and his wife. Shortly after Joshua was born, Ted had proposed to Martha, and they had married half a year later. After a year of marriage, their daughter had been born, followed by their son, two years daughter was in the school year below Joshua, and the two had become fast friends.

Ted had his own camera, however, to take photos of the memorable occasion. "Okay, Robin, are you done taking photos of our kids, because I want a photo of Josh and my Leia to go in my wallet!" he exclaimed. Leia groaned.  
"Dad, Robin just took a ton of photos, just use hers!" she sighed. Josh chuckled at his girlfriend's attitude towards Ted, whom had been a very prominent figure in his life.  
Marvin, being two years older than Joshua, was now in college, studying Architecture, much to Ted's delight. He, after inheriting his father's cool car, was driving the kids to their prom. "Guys, time to go!" he stated, as they all started to get up. As Marvin, Lizzie(who insisted on joining them on the car journey) Leia and Josh got into the car, their parents gathered at the door to wave them off.

"You know, Barney, Josh better treat my Leia right tonight and respect her!" Ted joked.  
"Ted, he learned from the master," Barney said, pointing at his self. "He knows all the smooth moves for prom, how to dance, what to say..."  
"He also learned to respect women from his mother." added Robin. "Don't worry Ted, your daughter's in safe hands."  
Marshall laughed. "D'you think that in like twenty or thirty years, our kids are all going to meet up to watch their children go to prom?"  
"I hope so." said Lily. "I'm proud of them, though, they're all really great kids."  
"I feel like we all raised them, even though they weren't all our kids." Ted added.  
"Yeah, it's like we were all their parents from time to time. We raised them together." said Robin.  
"Well, this is great, but does anyone else really want a drink or is it just me?" chuckled Barney. As they all retreated from the door to go to the kitchen, Robin placed a hand on her husband's shoulder.

She exhaled. "I love you, Barney Stinson."  
"I love you too."  
"You know, everyone's distracted by the booze in the kitchen, and all the kids are out... You thinking what I'm thinking?"  
"I'm thinking you have exactly two minutes to run upstairs and take your clothes off."  
"You know, me too. Seems like we're really perfect for each other, huh?" smiled Robin.  
"Yeah, we really are." Barney grinned. "One minute fifty seconds remaining!"

Robin ran upstairs, giggling the whole way. It had been an amazing 17 years, and she knew the next 17 would be just as amazing, because she had the love of her life right by her side.


End file.
